UK hospitals eyeing to recruit Filipino nurses

England-based hospital, Yeovil
District Hospital has recently offered 180 nursing jobs to Filipino nurses, as part
of the effort in aiding staff shortages. The English hospital expressed its
hopes to fill in at least 150 posts.

According to Director of Nursing
and Elective Care, Shelagh Meldrum, Yeovil District Hospital faces staff
turnover of 18 – 20% — an alarming high figure, compared to the NHS national
average of 11%.

"We have got the retirement
issue and we are up against big city hospitals," expressed Meldrum.

Perlas further lamented that the
job mismatch is not uncommon to her fellow Filipino nurses. “Most of the nurses
who have completed training have got no job. Some of them are working in call
centres and it is a shame because they are not practising their nursing profession,"
she shared.

The hospital assured that hired
Filipino nurses – from the existing Filipino nursing workforce and community
association – will be provided support once they are in Yeovil. "When they
come to settle, we pick them up at the airport, show them round the hospital,
help them set up a bank account and show them where to go shopping and buy
Filipino foods," added Perlas.

Obstacles faced in recruiting
Filipino nurses

Even though there is a growing
demand for Filipino nurses to work overseas, it is no secret that applying for
jobs comes with many obstacles.

In a separate recruitment effort
conducted by the Royal Bolton Hospital, the UK-based hospital failed to bring
in 140 nursing professionals from the Philippines due to strict examination
process. Instead, they were able to recruit only 21 nurses — all of which are
still subjected to training.

As a result, the Royal Bolton
Hospital is left with the ongoing manpower crisis for the winter season.

"The nurses in the
Philippines want to work in the UK — they really, really do — but, it is such a
difficult exam,” said Trish Armstrong-Child, Director of Nursing at Royal
Bolton Hospital.

"They have to travel
hundreds of miles for the exam, which they have to pay for themselves, costing
three months of wages, and then it's a 70% fail rate the first time. It is harder than a
GSCE in this country." MIMS

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